Seahawks address depth, special teams on draft's second day

KIRKLAND — Yes, two Seahawks draft picks Sunday happen to have the same last name: Schmitt. More important, the Seahawks — as president Tim Ruskell pledged Saturday — used their five draft picks for the day to address depth needs and bolster their special-teams units.

Sunday was quite a day at headquarters. Seattle chose a couple of characters with its first two picks — affable defensive tackle Red Bryant from Texas A&M in the fourth round and a guy who could star in the MTV wild-stunt show "Jackass," fullback Owen Schmitt, in the fifth round.

And then, with their pick in the sixth round, the Seahawks took a second Schmitt — long snapper Tyler (no relation to Owen) from San Diego State.

"I was hoping they were going to take me fifth round, and they took a different Schmitt," Tyler Schmitt said. "My family was joking around that they took the wrong Schmitt."

The Seahawks hope they didn't select wrong on any of their picks. The addition of Bryant gives the Seahawks a big body at defensive tackle after Chuck Darby and Ellis Wyms were lost in free agency and Marcus Tubbs continues to rehabilitate the torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee he suffered in an exhibition game last August.

Tubbs is coming along, defensive coordinator John Marshall said, but is still not ready to get back on the field. And Rocky Bernard could be limited in minicamp practices with lingering injuries from last season.

The Seahawks chose not to address perceived depth needs at offensive line, wide receiver and linebacker.

At fullback, Owen Schmitt is a bulldozer whose blocking might remind fans of retired Seahawks fullback Mack Strong and whose antics might remind people of TV's Steve-O. Schmitt mentioned Strong during a conference call with reporters Sunday.

"He is definitely one of the best at the position," Schmitt said of Strong. "It's nice to be able to watch and look up to guys like that and kind of take tidbits from their game and try to make yourself better."

Schmitt also played on punt- and kickoff-return and -coverage teams, the extra-point team and the field-goal team while at West Virginia and will have to make his mark there in the NFL. Seattle has current starter Leonard Weaver and backup David Kirtman at fullback, plus T.J. Duckett as a fullback-running back who is likely to be used in short yardage.

Tyler Schmitt could be the answer at long snapper that the Seahawks haven't found since J.P. Darche was injured early in the 2006 season.

Seattle has a void there after Derek Rackley, Boone Stutz and Jeff Robinson were brought in last season in what was a problematic position for the team. Schmitt was one of only two long snappers invited to the combine in February and has had snaps timed as fast as 0.53 seconds from his hands to the punter, a good tenth of a second faster than what scouts say is worthy of consideration.

"I haven't had any bad snaps ever, really," Schmitt said. He has been long-snapping since fifth grade.

Seattle ended the day with a pair of seventh-round picks, one presumably for depth and the other to compete for a job in training camp. California running back Justin Forsett was chosen with the 233rd overall pick, followed two choices later by kicker Brandon Coutu from Georgia, who will try to push veteran free agent Olindo Mare at kicker.

Forsett, who ranks third on Cal's all-time rushing list, played on all special teams until his senior season and was deemed too good to pass up despite all the running backs on the Seahawks' roster. Coutu has dealt with hamstring problems the past two years that affected his kickoffs, but he made a 58-yard field goal as a sophomore.

"Day 1, you want to hit on some guys that can be starters for you," Ruskell said. "Day 2, you're still trying to do that, but the path to make our team is to show something on special teams or be a specialist that's going to get on the field."

Coutu showed Seattle executives how sure he is of himself at his predraft visit with the Seahawks.

"They have one of the biggest shoes to fill in the NFL," Coutu said, referring to the departed Josh Brown, "but it is one of the biggest opportunities."

José Miguel Romero: 206-464-2409 or jromero@seattletimes.com